Cigar lighter



Fe. 4,l 1930. o. N. BERMAN 1,745,470

A(JIGR LIGHTER Filed oct. 26, 1927 INVENTOR D Cl' m A, YL

Patented Feb. 4, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OTTO NESTOR BERMAN, OF FOREST HILLS, 4NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD DEVICES, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELA-WARE CIGAB LIGHTERA Application led October 26, 1927'. Serial No. 228,746.

My? invention relates to cigar lighters of the kind adapted to be carried in the pocket, my more particular purpose being to provide a device of this kind in which the ignition is 5 effected by means of a hand controlled movement of one part of the casing relatively to another part thereof, thus avoiding all necessity' for projecting or extending levers, knobs and the like, which are objectionable in many ways.

form and arrangement as to conserve a cer- `tain space within the casing and render the same available for holding a relatively larger volume of liquid hydrocarbon fuel.

My invention further contempates various details of v construction and operation, whereby the gneral efliciency of the cigar lighter. is greatly improved.

Reference is made vto the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and -in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the respective figures.

Figure 1 is a substantially central vertical section through one form ofmy improved cigar lighter showing the same with its various movable parts as occupyng their respective normal positions, as when the device is carried in the pocket.

Figure 2 is a substantially vertical central section through the form of my device appearing in Figure 1, but with the various movable parts occupying the positions they respectively occupy'when they are in their abnormal conditions, as when the device is actually being used for striking a light.

' Figure 3 is a side elevation of my device, shown as partly broken away, and with its movable parts occupying the positions contemplated for them in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. l

Figure 6 is a fragmentary s'ide elevation of another form of my device, with its 'movable parts occupying their respective abnormal positions.

A casing body member is shown at 7 and provided at one of its edges with an opening 8, 1n. the form of a notch, as indicated'more particularly in Figure 3.

he casing is further provided with a part1t1on wall 9, having two portions 10 and l1 extendmg laterally from it, so as to completely partition ofi' the casing into two parts, as may be understood from Figure 1.

he casing is further provided with a boundary wall 12, having a bent portion 13 of the form shown inv Figures 1 and 2.

By this arrangement there is formed a compartment 14, used as a fuel chamber and having a somewhat irregular form, but which does not completely lill the casing.

The casing is further provided with a fuel plug 15, which is removable. The operator by removing the fuel plug 15 can introduce Aliquid hydrocarbon fuel into thefuel chamber 14, and by replacing the plug can retain the fuel in position, until it is used up.

Connected with the portion 11 of the partition wall, and extending through the same, is a tube 16, serving as a flint holder. A flint 17 is housed within this Hint holder.` This flint is simply a transient member of pyrophoric material, usually a sparking alloy, which is gradually used up and which per-j ishes in the using, in the manner well known in this art.

A compression spring 18 engages the flint 17, and presses it constantly to the right according to Figure 1. Engaging the spring 18 is an adjusting screw 19, Which is used by the .operator for controlling pressure of the may also be used for removing and replacing the spring and lint.

A Wick is shown at 20, and extends through a burnertube 21, into the slot 8. That is, an end portion 22 ot' the wick protrudcs slightly from the burner tube, as may be understood from Figures 1 and 2.

The casing 7 is provided with two end caps, 23 and 24, of dierent form. The end cap 23 extends entirely across one end of the casing, but the end cap 24 extends only a little more than haltl way across the opposite end of the casing.

Carried by the casing 7 and movable relatively thereto is a corner piece 25, 'having a form somewhat similar to that of the end cap 24, these twol parts having together such form that, with the various movable parts occupying their respective normal positions as indicated in Figures 1 and 3, thecorner piece 25 and the end cap 24 together appear as practically a single end cap; and yet when the corner piece 5 is moved into its abnormal position, as indicated in Figure 2 and as hereinafter more particularly described, such movement does not greatly disturb the general symmetry of the casing as it appears t0 the eye, except to give the casing the appear- 'ance of being sunken inward at one of its corners. This movement of the corner piece 25, under control of the operators thumb as hereinafter described,V is used for actuating the ignition mechanism and thus in striking a light.

In some instances, as shown in Figure 6, the corner piece 25 mayi be given such construction and may be so formed relatively to other parts as to project slightly from the adjacent end of the casing when the cigar lighter is in such condition that the various movable parts vthereof occupy their respective normal positions. By a very slight protrusion 26 of the corner piece 25, with the device in its normal condition the stroke of the corner piece 25 and parts actuated thereby is lengthened a little, so that the ignition mechanism can work effectively. Besides, there is eiected a considerable saving of space, without the attendant evil of projectmg knobs, arms,'levers or the like, which would otherwise be necessary to actuate the ignition mechanism to an equal extent.

Rigidly connected withy the corner piece 25, and extending therefrom parallel with each other are a pair of guide pins 27, 27, of the form indicated in Figures l and-4; Each 'ioithese guide pins is of half-round form, as

shown in Figure 4, the casing 7 being slightly concave or dented inwardly at 28, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, to' accommodate the form of the guide pins, as may be understood from Figures 3 and 6. Inother words, the portion of the casing immediately adjacent the guide pins 27, 27 are fashioned to serve as bearings for the guide pins, which are by means 'of the guide pins 27, 27, motion` may be transmitted from the corner piece 25 to the barrel 29.

The barrel 29 carries a rack bar 32, and the teeth of this rack bair mesh with the teeth of a gear wheel 33. The gear Wheel 33 and a flint wheel 34 are loosely mounted upon a shaft 35, which extends directly through the casing. A spring washer 36 encircles theshaft 35, and presses the flint wheel constantly against the gear wheel. The gear wheel has a to-and-fro rocking movement, and the friction wheel 34 has a step by step movement always in a single direction, as is usual in this art.

My device has two general conditions, namely its normal condition of inactivity, indicated in Figures 1 and 3, and its abnormal condition of activity, indicated in Figure 2. lVhen the device is in its normal condition, it

is usually carried in the pocket. When in its abnormal condition it is used for lighting cigars or cigarettes, or at least for striking a light of some kind, and for this purpose may be held in and be operated lby one hand. The flame is shown at 36,

Suppose, now, that my cigar lighter is in its normal condition of inactivity, as indicated in Figure 1, and that the operator Wishes to use it', in order to strike a light. He simply removes the cigar lighter from his pocket -with one hand, and continuing to hold it in that hand, he places his thumb against the corner piece 25,moving the latter to the right according to Figure 1. In doing this hev causesthe barrel29 to move to the right, thus uncovering the end portion 22 of thev wick.y The movement of the barrel 29 causes the rack bar 32 to turn the gear wheel 33, thus operating the friction wheel 34 against the flint 17. This causes sparks to be thrown upwardly. These sparks pass between the guide pins 27, 27'and ignite the end portion 22 of the wick, causing the llame 36al to make its appearance, as indicated in Figure 2. The lighting operation being accomplished the operator now relaxes the pressure ofthe thumb. ,Thereupon the barrel 29, under pressure of the spring 31, is moved to the left according to ,Figures 1 and 3, these and other movable parts thus being brought back t0 their respective normal positions.

I do not limit myself to the precise mechanism shown, as variations may be made therements of said corner iece to actuate said in without departing from my invention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what Il claim as new and desire to secure by Letters lPatent is as follows 1. A cigar lighter, comprisinga casing provided with an opening, a barrel slidably mounted within said casing for the purpose of closing said opening, mechanism connected with said barrel for striking a light, a corner piece carried by said casing and movable relatively thereto, and connections from said corner piece to said barrell for enabling said barrel` to be actuated by movements of said corner piece.

' 2. A cigar lighter, comprising a casin having three corners which are rigid relatlve to each other, said casing being rovided with an opening, a sliding member oused within said casing and movable relative thereto for the purpose of closing said door a corner piece carried bysaid casing and movable relatively thereto vby the operators thumb, ignition mechanism mounted within said casing and disposed adjacent said opening, and a pair of bars connected with said corner piece and extending therefrom to said sliding. member, for enabling said sliding member to be actuated by movements of said corner piece.

3. A cigar lighter, comprising a casing `having three corners which are rigid relative to each other, said casing also being provided with an opening, a sliding member housed Within said casing and movable relative thereto for the purpose of closin said opening, a corner piece carried b sai casing and movable relativel thereto y the operators thumb, a pair ofybars connected with said corner piece and with said sliding member for enabling movements of said corner piece to n actuate said sliding member, and ignition mechanism mounted within said casing and dlsposed ad] acent said opening, sald ignition mechanism being connectedkwith sald bars l and actuated by movements thereof and so located relatively to said opening andto said bars that said hars do not obstruct the passage from said ignition mechanism to said opening. L 4. A cigar lighter, comprising a flat hollow casing provided with three corners which are rigid relative to each other, said casing closure member and sai ignition mechanism. Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 14th day o f October, 1927. i

OTTO NESTOR BERMAN.

being further provided with an opening, av 'y closure member slidably mounted within said casing Vfor the purpose of closing said opening, a corner piece carried fhy said casing and' movable relatively thereto, ignition mechanism housed within said casing and disposed adjacent said opening for the purpose of striking a light, and connect'l rom said 'corner piece to said closure timer and to said ignition mechanism for enabling move- 

